The World as the Vikings knew it

The world is flat!

This was something probably all Europeans took for granted at the time, the
Vikings included. While most people in Europe, however, seldom ventured more
than a few kilometres from the village where they were born, the Vikings were
intrepid travelers. Even if they did not know what the world as a whole was
really like, they were prepared to go off and explore it.

Religion

The Vikings' everyday life was influenced not only by their view of the
physical world around them, but also by their religion. They knew the gods
lived in Asgard. They knew the gods could help them against evil forces, but
they needed to treat their gods well.

To sacrifice a valuable animal (blota) to the gods
put them in a good mood. To worship the gods was an important part of Viking
life. Christianity changed the Vikings'
religion, but many of the old customs continued unchanged for hundreds of years.

The Law

To the Vikings The Law had always been the same right
from the beginning of time. The Law represented the balance between good and
evil and had to be upheld. An imbalance could mean disaster. A crime created an
unbalance and had to be corrected by making the lawbreaker pay or be put outside
the law. Changes in society made changes to the laws necessary, but were
regarded as adjustments to keep up the balance in the eternal Law.